Prosecution and Caution Record
Cautions issued over last 5 years
(Full record of cautions from 1995 to present day)
Date of Event | Caution Date | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|
29 March to 23 May 2023 | 30 May 2024 | United Utilities accepted a caution following an event where green discoloured water was supplied to consumers in Wallasey, Merseyside for approximately 50 days. The company have subsequently updated their policy and procedures to prevent a recurrence. | |
30 July 2021 | 9 January 2023 | Southern Water was issued with a caution following the supply of water to consumers which was unfit for human consumption. The company subsequently introduced changes to their policy, procedures and training to prevent a recurrence. | |
28 January 2021 | 6 January 2023 | Thames Water accepted a caution following an event where discoloured water was supplied to 135,045 consumers in Tooting and Merton, South London, following planned work on the water network. | |
6 November 2018 | 21 December 2020 | Severn Trent Water accepted a caution following an event where discoloured water with an unacceptable taste and odour was supplied to 13,150 consumers in Leicester, after a rehabilitated trunk main was returned to supply. | |
27 March 2020 | 15 December 2020 | SES Water accepted a caution following the investigation of an event where water unfit for human consumption was supplied to a single property in Sutton, following the mis-connection of the consumers service pipe to a disused gas main | |
6 March 2019 and 11 July 2019 | 5 June 2020 | South Staffs Water accepted a caution following a technical audit of Crumpwood water treatment works, which identified that the membrane filtration system in use was not being operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. | |
11 December 2016 | 16 August 2018 | United Utilities accepted a caution following the investigation of an event where inadequately disinfected water was supplied from Buckton Castle treatment works to 43,000 consumers in and around Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybridge. Consumers were advised to boil their tap water before consumption for two and a half days. | |
12 October 2016 | 13 April 2018 | South Staffs Water accepted a caution following the investigation of an event where discoloured water was supplied to 71,000 consumers in and around Walsall, West Midlands following planned work at Seedy Mill treatment works. | |
Prosecutions (court cases over last 5 years)
(* Full record of Prosecutions from 1995 to present day)
Date of Event | Date of court case | Company | Court | Event | Offence | Outcome | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2021 | 30 May 2023 | Wessex Water Services Limited | Swindon Magistrates’ Court | Newton Tony Taste and Odour | Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 for the supply of water unfit for human consumption | £280,000 and a victim surcharge of £190 | £21,656.60 |
June 2018 | 13 Sep 2022 | South West Water Ltd | Plymouth Magistrates’ Court | Bratton Fleming and Horedown Taste and Odour | Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 for the supply of water unfit for human consumption | £233,333 and a victim surcharge of £170 | £83,967.93 |
1 April – 31 May 2018 | Guilty plea 5 April 2022 Sentencing 24 May 2022 | Southern Water Services Ltd | Hove Crown Court | High Park Chlorate | Regulation 33(3)(a) – applying or introducing a substance or product into water in contravention of regulation 31(1) | £16,000 and a victim surcharge of £170 | £49,401.95 |
16 Feb 2017 and 10 July 2017 | 10 June 2019 | Thames Water Utilities Ltd | Stratford Magistrates’ Court | Coppermills Water treatment works | Regulation 33(1) – breach of regulation 26(1)(a) failure to disinfect water and breach of regulation 26(4) failure to design and continuously operate an adequate treatment process Regulation 33(1) – breach of regulation 26(1)(b) failure to subject water to sufficient preliminary treatment to prepare it for disinfection before treatment | £80,000 £80,000 | £79,839.68 and a victim’s surcharge of £120 |
17 Dec 2016 | 10 Jan 2019 | Northumbrian Water Ltd | Peterlee Magistrates’ Court | South Moor service reservoir Taste and Odour | Section 70 supply of water unfit, and not following Instructions for Use – regulation 33(3)(b) | £499,725 and a victim surcharge of £170 | £32,792.65 |
31 Jan – 12 Feb 2013 | Guilty plea 27 July 2018 Sentencing 10 August 2018 | Southern Water Services Ltd | Newport Crown Court | Cooks Castle Shanklin water supply reservoir | Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured and highly turbid) for human consumption | £65,000 | £44,620.99 |
March – July 2015 | Guilty plea 31 Jan 2018 Sentencing 5 June 2018 | United Utilities Water Plc | Bolton Crown Court | Sweetloves works | Regulation 33 – breach of regulation 26(1) inadequate treatment and disinfection of water for two events from 31 March – 3 April 2015 and 19 July – 22 July 2015 | £50,000 for first event £150,000 for second event | £54,000 |
Aug – Sept 2015 | Guilty plea 19 July 17 Sentencing 10 Oct 17 | United Utilities Water Plc | Preston Crown Court | Franklaw works – detection of Cryptosporidium | Section 70 supply of water unfit for human consumption | £300,000 | £150,000 |
Oct 2015 | Guilty plea 14 August 17 Sentencing 25 August 17 | Southern Water Services Ltd | Southampton Magistrates’ Court | Discolouration due to burst main | Section 70 supply of water unfit for human consumption and use of non-approved products (reg 33) | £400,000 for section 70 offence and £80,000 for reg 33 offence | £50,000 |